Method of assembling uppers and insoles



Dec. 11, 1928. 1,694,450

F. RICKS ET AL METHOD OF ASSEMBLING UPPERS AND INSOLES Orignal Filed Jan. 7, 1922 Patented Dec. 11, 1928.

T li i? FRED RICKS AND JOSEPH GOULDBOURN,

OF LEICESTER, ENGLAND, 'A SSIGNORS TO PGRATEGN GE NEVT JERSEY.

I IIETHOD QF Ail; UPE'EE-S AND INSOLES.

Original application filed January 7, 1922, Serial No. 527,623, and in Great Britain-January 12, 1921.

Divided and this application filed March 16,

This invention relates to the manufacture of shoes, and more particularly to methods of assembling the upper with the :insole or other part to which an end of the upper is permanently secured, the-term insole being used herein as generally applicable to any such part. This application is :a division of our copending application Serial No. 527,623, filed on January 7, 1922.

The invention, in one important aspect, has in view the assembling of an insole with an upper which has been previously molded at one or both ends. In methods of shoe manufacture which include, for example, the molding of the heel ends of uppers off the last, it has been the general practice after the molding operation to throw the uppers in piles where they remain until the operation of assembling them with their insoles on the lasts, an operation which for the sake of economy in last equipment and for other reasons is usually deferred for a considerable time after the molding. Such practice frequently results in more or -less distortion of the molded ends of the uppers, so that they need to be reshaped to some extent before they are permanently secured to the insoles. This tends to defeat one important object of "the molding operation, which is to elin'iinate the necessity for anything in the nature of a shaping operation on the last at the molded end of the upper, and is also objectionable because of the difiiculties encountered in attempting to reshape a part of the upper which has already been once molded it is an object of'this invention to provide a method of-eh ecting a speedy and accurate assembl' 1g of molded uppers with their insoles and of fastening them'to the insoles off the last, so that in whatever interval before. the parts are mounted on mar e the so, there will be no distortion such as to affect the relation between the molded uppers and the insoles. In order to avoid lang'er of distortion of the molded shape of he upper in the assembling operation oif he last; the invention, in one important aspect. provides for locating the moldedend of the upper in the correct relation to the end of the insole by clamping pressure which is'substantially, localized at the edge of the 1921- Serial No. 175,880.

' heel ends of which are molded with inturned heel seat, flanges, the invention further provides for positioning the .molded end of the upper relatively to the insole by pressure directed both inwardly toward'the edge face of the insole and transversely of its'bottom face, so as to position .the molded'upper in the correct relation to they contour of the edge of the insole and also to press the inturned flange closely against the bottom face of the insole to receive tacks or'other fastenings by which the molded end of the upper is secured to the insole while'thus positioned. To. facilitate the assembling operation the insole may conveniently be positioned on a suitable support, andthe molded upper may conveniently be secured to the insole by tacks whichwill be clinched on the support, although the invent-ion is not limited to this 7 particular manner of fastening the-parts to gether. v

In another aspect the invention aims to facilitate thev assembling of the upper and the insole in the correct lengthwise and angular relation to each other; As herein illustrated, there is utilized a memberprojecting between the insole and the toe end of the upper and along which'the upper and the insole may readily slip, and the workman, forexample by the use of one hand, will slip the insole rearwardly and the upper forwardly along this, memberuntil the heel end of the insole-engages properly with the heel end of the upper. With the other handthe workman may at the same time press the molded fian e of'the upper down upon the heel seatface of the insole. Conveniently such amember may also serve as a gauge to indicate the proper angular relation of the upper and the insole. In this manner the molded upper andthe insole may be more accurately assembled than would be as readily, possible onthelast.

The novel method will now be more particularly. described by reference to theaccompanying drawings,-which show one form of apparatus adapted for use in the practice of the method, this apparatus being 'dey how the clampin scribed in greater detail and its novel features claimed in our copendmg application of which this application is a division.

In the drawings,

Fig. 1 is a view of the illustrative apparatus in side elevation, with parts in section;

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the upper lefthand portion of the apparatus shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 illustrates the manner of bringing the upper and the insole into the right relation before clamping the molded heel end or toward the left (Fig. 1), by means of a treadle (not shown) connected to the block by a chain 7 which passes over a pulley 9, and the block is returned to its foremost position by means of a spring 11. top of the post 2 and free to swivel on a vertical axis thereon is a horizontal metal block 13 for supporting the heel end of the insole. The insole-engaging face of this block is somewhat narrower than the heel end of the insole to permit the marginal edgeof the insole to project beyond said face at the sides; and to facilitate a corresponding projection of the insole also at its rear end, as well as to assist in positioning the upper about the end of the insole, the block 13 is flared downwardly and outwardly from its insole-engaging face at the rear end and at the sides to engage the moulded end of the upper and hold it away fromthe edge of said face, as illustrated in Fig. 4. Extending forwardly from the lower face of the block 13 and fast on the block is a thin metal plate or bar 15 which is so shaped that the upper surface of its front portion is on the same level as the insole-engaging face of the block to support the forepart of the insole in the.

same plane as the heel end portion. 'It will be seen that the comparatively narrow bar 15 is positioned midway between the oppo- ,site sides of the block 13 so as to extend forepart'of the insole when the insole is in the right position.

For clamping the molded end of the upper against the edge of the insolethere is provided a heel end embracing band or clamp member 21 of thins-spring metal which is sufficiently flexible to permit'it to be con-* formed readily to the curvature of the edge of the insole, this member being arranged a points in advance of the heel breast line.

On the Y to engage the opposite side portions of the molded end of the upper as far forwardly as As shown in Fig. 4, the clamp member or band 21 is flared or inclined downwardly and outwardly so that it effects substantially a line contact with the upper along the edge of the insole and acts to press the upper both inwardly against the edge face of the insole and downwardly upon its bottom face, the clamp member being arranged to engage the upper substantially along the line where its margin is turned inwardly over the heel seat, i. e., at the outer boundary of the inturned flange and opposite to the outer edge corner of the insole. The clamp member has at each end an extension 23, and at its rearmost portion an extension 25, which connects the member, without substantial loss of flexibility in a horizontal plane, to its supporting and controlling device.

The device for supporting and controlling the front end portions of the clamp member 21 comprises, at each side of the apparatus, a horizontal link 29 connected to the extension 23 by a vertical pivot 27 and mounted on a vertical pivot 31 on the front end of a rigid supporting arm The front end of each link 29 has on it a boss 35 which, as that end of the link is swung inwardly by the closing of the clamp member 21, comes into contact with the outer face of the clamp member at the level of the line of contact of the latter with the work and time buttresses the member. The arms 33 are mounted for adjustment by mechanism. described in detail in the copending application. The rear extension 25 of the clamp member is connected by a vertical pivot 37 to a rod 39 which is mounted for sliding movement lengthwise in a guiding and limiting screw tl. It will thus be seen that the clamp member 21 is so mounted as to permit it to .be moved bodily toward the rear by engageface of the insole, the clampniember assuining a lengthwise contour determined by the shape of the molded upper and the edge of the insole.

In the n actice of the method of this in vention by the aid of the apparatus above described, the upper a is positioned with its molded heel end about the block 13 and with its forepart under the bar 15, and the insole flange 0 of the upper.

bis placed upon the top of the block 13 with its torepart resting. upon the bar 15 and with its heel end under the" molded inturned The workman, as shown in Fig. 3, then insures with one hand that the heel. endof the upper is in correct vertical relation to the-insole on the support 13, his palm and fingers being tree to embrace the heelend of the upper while his. thumb is pressed overthe inturned flange of the upper and the heel seat portion of the insole. At the same time, by the use of his other hand, he brings the parts into correct longitudinal relation by pressing with his thumb downwardly and rearwardly'on the toe end of the insole, as indicated by the arrow 17, thus sliding the insole rearwardly over the. bar 15 which is smooth to permit theinsole to slip readily, and also draws the upper forwardly, as indicatedby the arrow 19, by upward and forward pressure of the" side of his forefinger against the toe end or the upper on the lower smooth face of the bar. t will be noted that the bar 15 is or such length as to projectforwardly beyond the toe end of the insole and the upper, the narrow bar thus serving as a gage to assist in positioning the parts in correct longitudinal alignment;

'The upperiand the insole having been thus positioned, the workman withdraws his hand from the heel end of the upper and by depressing the treadle moves the support 13withthe upper and the. insole rearwardly into the clamp member 21, at the sametime holding the parts at the. toe end pressed against the bar 15 to prevent their displacement. By the rearward movement of the work the clamp member is closedv about the endofthe upper and insole in'the manner above described. By reason of the inclined relation of the. clamp member to the plane or the insole the member serves to wedge the inturned flange of theupper down upon the insole as well as to force the upper against the edgetace of the insole, as indicated in Fig. 4;. The clamping pressure is thus localized at the edge oitheinsole, aresult which is further insured. by the projection of the edge of the insole beyond the insole-engaging face of the block 13. With the clamping pressure thus localized at the margin of the insole, there is no substantial tendency to distort in any way the molded shape of the upper. I

While the parts are held clamped in the manner illustrated in Figs. 4 and 5, the. upper is fastened to the insole, for example by.

heal seat tacks t which may be driven in any suitable manner, as by. the use of a hand tacker, the tacks being clinched on the block 13. The row of tacks, whereby the molded flange of the upper is permanently fastened to the insole, may eutendv as far forwardly at each side as is permissible, having regard to the later sewing operation for fastening the upper to the insole at the shank and the forepart. This eliminates the need for any subsequent repositioning of the wings of the which may receive their proper adjustment 7 by Pl.lll1l1gOV1 or lasting strains applied at the torepart or the shank.

After the'upper and the insole have been thus secured together, the treadle is released and the work, support is moved forwardly by the spring 1 The workman then removes the connected upper and insole from the support. At any des'red time thereafter the last may be ii'itroduced into the shoe and the later operations performed in the inanufad ture of the shoe, insurance being ali'orded of no objectionable distortion of the moldedend oi? the upper by any treatment such as molded uppers ordinarily receive in the interval between the molding operation andthe. operation of mounting them Ont-heir lasts.

It will be underslioodthatthe invention is not limited tothe manufacture of shoes of any particular type, nor in many'ot its aspects to operations performed at theheel end of thezshoe.

Having described the novel method and set forth fully-how it may be practiced, what we claim as new. and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the Unted States is 1. That improvement in methods of assembling an insole with an upper having a previously molded endportion, which consists in pressing the molded end of the upper inwardly against the edge face of the insole by engaging the upper substantially at the margin of the insole; while leavingthe re-. mainder of the molded end of the upper substantially free from inward pressure, and

while holding the end of the upper in that position fastening it to the insole.

2. That-improvement in methods of assembling an insole with an upper having a pre viously molded end portion, which consists. in embracing thenioldedend of the upper oil the last alon a line substantially opposite to the edge 'ace of theinsole and press ing the upper inwardly against said edge taceat the'opposite sides of. the end of the insole while leaving the remainder oil" the. molded end of the upper substantially free from inward pressure, and fastening the upper to the insole in that position. j

3. That improvement in'methods of assembling an insole with an upper having a previously molded heel end portion, which consists in positioning the molded heel end of the upper off the last in the correct relation to the insole by pressure substantially localized at the margin of the insole, and while holding the upper in that position fastening its molded end to the insole.

4. That improvement in methods of as sembling off the last an insole with an upper having a previously molded heel end portion provided with an inturned heel seat flange, which consists in placing the heelend of the insole upon a support, locating the molded endof the upper in the correct relation to theend of the insole by pressure directed both inwardly toward the edge face of the insole and transversely oi its bottom face and localized substantially at me margin of the insole, and while holding the upper in that relation 'lastening its inturned 'l'lange to the insole.

5. That improvement in methods of assembling off the last an in ole with an upper having a previously mold heel end. portion provided with an inturned heel seat flange,

,Which consists in placing the heel end of the insole upon an anvil member with its margin projecting beyond said member, positioning the molded end the upper in engagement with the projecting edge face of the insole by inwardly directed pressure sub stantially localized at the margin of the insole, and then tacking the inturned flange of the upper to the insole over said anvil member. V

6. That improvement in methods oi as sembling an insole with an upper having a previously molded end portion, which consists in inserting between the opposite end of the upper and the insole oil the last a member along which. the upper and the insole may readily slip, pressin said opposite end of the upper and the insole against,

said'member while slipping them relatively lengthwise to locate the molded end of the upper and the corresponding end oft-he insole in the correct longitudinal relation, and thereafter fastening the molded end of the upper to the insole.

7: That improvement in methods of as semhling an insole with an upper having a previously molded heel endportion, which consists in inserting'between the toe end of theupper and the insole oil the last a member along which the upper and the insole may readily slip, engaging the toe end of the upper and the insole withone hand and slip ping them relatively lengthwise alongsaid member to locate the molded heel end of the upper and the insole in the correct longitudinal relation and then holding them pressed against said member, utilizing the other hand to locate the molded end ofthe upperand the insole in the correct relation member along which the "upper and the insole may readily slip pressing the'toe end of the upper and the insole against said. member while 7. slipping them relatively lengthwise to locate the molded heel end of the upper and the insole in the correct longitudinal relation, pressing the molded end of the upper inwardly about the endof the insole while holding the toe of the upper and the insole against said 'member to prevent lengthwise displacement of the insole, and thereafter fastening the molded end of the upper to the insole.

9. That improvement in methods of assembling an insole with an upper having its heelend portion molded with an inturned heel seat flange, which consists in inserting between the toe end of the upper and the insole oil the last a member along which the upper and the insole may readily slip, pressing the toe end of the upper and the insole against said member while slipping them relatively lengthwise to locate the heel end of the upper and the insole in the correct longitudinal relation, pressing the molded heel end of the upper inwardly about the end of the insole with its heel seat flangepreviously molded heelend portion, whichconsists in placing the insole loosely upon a support, mounting the molded heel end of the upper about the corresponding e'nd'oi the insole and slipping the insole and the upper relatively lengthwise .by engaging their toe ends to position them in the correct longitudinal relation, clamping the heel end of the upper about the end of the insole with pressure substantially localized at the mar gin of the insole, and while holding the upper thus clamped fastening it to the inside.

. In testimony'whereof we have signed our names to this specification. 1 V

FRED HICKS. s-

JOSEPH GOULDBOURN. 

